The old " Westchester Path " had long been used by the Indians and furnished the whites with the best inland communication. The fields that the Indians had cultivated were already cleared for the whites, and enabled them at once to raise the necessary food for their support. Gradually the settlers pushed inland and made additional purchases from the Indians. In 1683 the inhabitants of Rye bought lands about White Plains. Their claims to these were disputed by John Richbell; but Rye settlers went upon them and considered White Plains a portion of their territory.

While the southeastern portions of Westchester County were being peopled from Connecticut, the more northern portions also received similar attention. The people of Stamford followed the Indian trail leading inland, and came to the attractive lands at the bend of the Mianus River, near the present village of Bedford, where the Indians had a village and cultivated their fields of maize, pumpkins and sieva beans. They purchased of the Indians, in 1655, lands about Bedford in addition to those purchased by Nathan Turner, in 1640, and, subsequently, other minor purchases were made. In 1680 the tract known as the Hop Ground was bought, and John Cross, going up from Stamford to inspect it, described the river that has since borne his name. In the spring of 1681 twenty-four Stamford men and their families moved to these lands, and the village of Bedford was

begun. Poundridge and Salem were settled from the same source.

While the growth of these settlements was not rapid, it was steady and healthful. The people gradually became rooted to the soil. After wandering so far, they were content to remain in the quiet enjoyment of their new homes. Nearly all those who settled in the eastern portion of the county were Dissenters, who afterwards became Presbyterians when that order of church government was established.